Official statistics show that in 2003, China's net oil imports amounted to 97.39 million tons, including 82.99 million tons of crude oil, up 30% or so over the previous-year level.

Last year, the country's oil product demand was shored up by 11.4% mainly by the combination of a 9.1% economic growth and oil-fired power generating caused by an acute electric power shortage in the eastern and southern parts of China and a significant increase in car population.